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Lightning Wraiths
The Lightning Wraiths are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter founded on the 37th Millennium as a successor to the White Scars. As such, the Lightning Wraiths retained some of the White Scars' traditions and combat doctrine. They were created in response to an increase in Drukari activity in the Segmentum Obscurus. The First Preceptor, Khugal Khan, had forged his chapter into a swift and silent killing machine with the guidance of the first Iakugo, Tarac Re'Nali to deal with the Dark Eldar efficiently and as penance for a failure that had cost Khugal his honor and the life of the Great Khan Chaigut. A chapter born from shame, hate, and vengeance, the Lightning Wraiths are a reclusive chapter with traditions that derive from various death and warrior cults of their home planet. As such, they are quite autonomous from the Imperium at large, sometimes acting on their own accord rather than from the orders bestowed upon them. Their loyalty is questioned at times, but they have proved time and again that they would rather die than betray the Imperium that Jaghatai fought for. Very few are welcome among the ranks of Lightning Wraiths, and in turn very few trust the Chapter. Marines hailing from the chapter are taciturn individuals, speaking only when the situation requires clear and concise communication. Even then, they speak very little to those who are not of the Lightning Wraiths. The only exception to their introverted attitudes are the White Scars, as the Lightning Wraiths are fanatically loyal to their forefathers, and children, as a deep patriarchal instinct that was never removed from psycho-indoctrination compels them to protect the next generation at all costs. However, in the fields of battle, the normally introverted marines turn into savages fuelled by their undying rage. Although they avoid direct confrontations, the savagery within the Lightning Wraiths directs them to the heart of an enemy flank, leaving a bloody swath as they cut down anything that was too slow to react to their advance. At the end of a battle, they are the last ones to leave. Not to act as a rearguard, but to scavenge any equipment that was left behind and could be of use to the Chapter. As of the 42th Millenium, the Chapter is currently recovering from the near decimation of two Battle Companies, otherwise known as Pillars of Wisdom, during the expansion of the Eye of Terror into the Cicatrix Maledictum. Massive warp storms had appeared after the Fall of Cadia, and the fleet containing the 5th Pillar of Wisdom was begotten with misfortune as one such warp storm coalesced on its flight path. The accompanying 2nd Pillar of Wisdom's fleet was close enough to receive some of the survivors of the 5th, but it too had suffered losses in its attempt to rescue some of their brothers. Chapter History A non-''Codex'' compliant Chapter, the Lightning Wraiths believe the ''Codex Astartes'' to be too rigid and too constraining. While they do not despise the Codex, seeing as Guilliman's words have some wisdom to them, their utter disregard for the word of Guilliman gain the ire of devout practitioners of the Codex, such as the Hammers of Dorn. Their lack of compliance with the codex has resulted in disagreements between Lightning Wraith Captains, otherwise known as Viceroys, and other chapters in response to various threats to humanity. They believe that the best strategies stem from long years of experience, as the insight a Veteran provides in the chaotic dance of war is just as good as any passage in the book of Guilliman. Part of the reason why they do not comply with the Codex is due to their preferred style of warfare. The Lightning Wraiths combined the Raven Guard's reconnaissance tactics and the White Scars's hit-and-run tactics to great effect. They always search for the enemy's weaknesses and capitalize on it without mercy in a manner such that the enemy is left dazed at the speed and ferocity of the assault. As their combat doctrine is a combination of speed and stealth, the Chapter has no need for Devastator Squads or armored vehicles. The lack of armoured vehicles such as the Predator and Land Raider would have substantially decreased the firepower that the Chapter could lay on the enemy. This was shortcoming was mitigated by their expansive airforce and a set of forbidden weaponry last seen during the Great Crusades. A part of their armory also includes equipment taken from abandoned battlefields and repurposed for Astartes use. The possession of these controversial weapons was the Chapter's saving grace during their first encounter with the Tyranid menace. Many of their traditions are taken from the savage natives of their feudal homeworld, Morozhko. Although they recruit from many worlds, each Lightning Wraith is expected to spend time with the locals of Morozhko during their training to become an Astartes. From the aspirants to the Chapter Master, otherwise known as the Preceptor, every Lightning Wraith has spent years learning the ways of the savage natives of Morozhko. There are three main tribes that an aspirant must learn from. The death cult of the Vossmortin, the warrior tribe of Laeda-Krovus, and the nomadic hunters of Oxthonik. When an aspirant has an easier time integrating into one of the three tribes, then the heads of Chapter Command will take interest in the aspirant. It has been recorded that the most devout of Chaplains came from the Vossmortin, the greatest of Champions were of Laeda-Krovus and the stealthiest of scouts learned from Oxthonik. Founding The First Lightning Wraith The Lightning Wraiths' history is deeply rooted in vengeance and hate. The seeds of the chapter were sown during a White Scars campaign against a Drukhari invasion of an Imperial Colony on 672.M37, where a Harlequin Troupe ambushed one scout squad conducting surveillance. All but three members of the squad barely managed to survive due to the timely interference of White Scars Bike Squads. One of these survivors was future Lightning Wraiths founder and Preceptor Khugol Drakon. Morozhko: Homeworld and Battlefield Forging the Chapter The Chapter's first true test was on __ M__ when a Dark Eldar raiding party invaded their homeworld. Aedalur Massacre At the wake of the 9th Black Crusade, an enormous Space Hulk exited the warp at the edge of the Aedalur System. Accompanying the massive machine was a small fleet of Khornate warships, with Yhar’gol, a Khornate Champion with an insatiable drive for daemon ascension, commanding the invasion party. The attackers consisted of the Chaos Warbands, the Hand of Khorne and the Blackblood Hounds, as well as auxiliary support in the form of daemon engines and an entire Traitor Guard regiment of Khornate Cultists hailing from the Bellowing Daemon Cult. The first planet that was invaded was the feudal world of Salis. The entire population was either murdered or indoctrinated within a week by a company of Hand of Khorne Berzerkers. However, only the strike cruiser Song of Violence was provided for the attack of Salis. The rest of the fleet remained beside the space hulk as it made its way through space towards Forge World Nivera. As the space hulk slowly drifted in space, psykers that were either planetside or serving in a nearby Imperial ship began to writhe in agony or jerk spastically as they experienced a seizure brought about by an immensely powerful psychic presence. The sight of astropaths and navigators foaming at the mouths, screaming in pain as they spasmed on the ground scared those who were unfortunate enough to witness the phenomenon. Merchant ships were not able to enter the warp in order to make a quick escape due to the phenomenon, rendering them effectively trapped in the warzone that encompassed the Aedalur system. Amidst the agony she felt, one astropath had projected a powerful psychic message with the remaining vestiges of her energy. The sheer might required for her astropathic message to be sent coupled with the pain of feeling malicious psychic energies caused her to perish. Her final act was what would save Nivera from total destruction as the Lightning Wraiths received her message and warped into the system a few hours later. The carnage that met the Lightning Wraiths as they returned to realspace was nothing short of sickening. Magister __ had sensed the powerful psychic presence within the Space Hulk that drifted along with the fleet and had advised Viceroy __ to focus on destroying it. Death of Laiko The Lightning Wraiths had resorted to using heavily modified equipment from the chapter's armory to combat the devourers. Through the use of modified Chem-cannons stolen from abandoned Bane Wolves and flamers with a more potent mixture of promethium in their tanks, they managed to hold off the threat from devouring the Agri-World Laiko. The chapter’s usage of these modified weapons proved to be their saving grace from total annihilation during a confrontation with a splinter force belonging to Hive Fleet Kraken during the Second Tyrannic War. However, the swarms of the Great Devourer had proved too much for the Chapter and they began to take heavy losses. With a heavy heart, Preceptor Antalleus Kiro ordered the deployment of the Harbingers and the infamous Desolation of Khan to lay waste on the Agriworld. The deadly combination of promethium, toxic chemicals, and radiation killed scores of the smaller broods and weakened the larger ones significantly. There had been repercussions for their usage of terror weapons from various chapters, but the Lightning Wraiths paid no heed to them as the grief that burrowed in their hearts for the death of the Agri-World numbed them from the scathing remarks of those who weren't there. Dawn of the Primaris Despite the losses that the Chapter sustained at the dawn of the Dark Millenium, the Chapter remained true to its oath of tribute to their progenitors. As such, the Lightning Wraiths' 1st Pillar of Wisdom was on Chogoris when the Ultima Crusade's fleet arrived on the White Scars' homeworld. The arrival of Guilliman was accompanied with the introduction of the Imperium's next generation of elite warriors, the Primaris Marines. Notable Campaigns Chapter Home World Morozhko is a hostile feudal world, cast in an almost permanent winter due to its distance to its star. Fortress-Monastery The Crypt of Brehus is a massive tunnel network hidden within the Jirae Mountains of Morozhko. Rites of Recruitment Chapter Organisation Many of the Lighting Wraith's ranks were taken from the armies of the Morozhkan Monarchies. Specifically those of the nine monarchs that remained loyal to the Imperial Truth during the Morozhkan Uprising. Officer Ranks * The Preceptor - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Chapter Master, the Preceptor is chosen by a cabal of men consisted of well-respected members of the 'Farshan', the Armorium, the Librarius, and the Viceroys. He leads the First Company into battle. * Ensigns - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Primaris Lieutenant. A new addition to the Lightning Wraiths' ranks, the Ensigns are a Viceroy's second-in-command in the battlefield and his personal bodyguard. However, as with all Primaris Marines, Ensigns are not trusted by the Firstborn because even if they have the gene-seed of the Khagan they are only Lightning Wraiths in name as they do not have the mutations. * Viceroy - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Company Captain. These men lead a company into battle and are often in charge of diplomacy with other Imperial forces. As such, many Viceroys are taught by Morozhkan nobility and poets in wordsmithing along with expansive knowledge in human psychology. It is said that Lightning Wraith Viceroys are among the best diplomats in the Adeptus Astartes due to their extensive knowledge of how the human mind works and their silver tongues. * Vizier - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Chief Librarian. * Magister - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Librarian. * Koval '''- The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Forgemaster. A position of both prestige and respect, the Koval is the greatest Machinist within the Armorium. His skill makes him the only person qualified to conduct maintenance and repairs on the Chapter's Relics. The Koval is also the one who creates the guidelines on how to modify and tinker equipment that was scavenged off of the battlefield, a secret that the Chapter's Oathtaker guards vehemently. * '''Machinist - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Techmarine. The Chapter's expansive airforce and high numbers of bikes demand a fairly high amount of specialists trained by the Adeptus Mechanicus to maintain and repair these tools of war. Due to their training with the Mechanicus, they are forced to renounce their oaths of non-augmentation in order to gain the knowledge that the Priests of Mars selfishly guard. * Bannerlord - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Standard Bearer. Carrying the pride of a Pillar of Wisdom into battle is a great honour, but one that comes with great risk. Every enemy of the Imperium knows by heart that those who carry the standards is responsible for upholding the morale of an army. This knowledge drives them to seek and desecrate any Company standard that enters the warzone. This duty is only given to accomplished Veterans of the Lightning Wraiths as they will ensure that nothing will ever desecrate the banner. Specialist Ranks * Iakugo - Instead of having a champion in each company dedicated to hunting down enemy warlords, the Lightning Wraiths have one Champion to represent the entire chapter. The Iakugo, meaning "bewildering force" in Common Morozhkan, is the greatest warrior in the Chapter. His previous name would be forgotten, as it is a tradition for him to become one with the weapon that bears the same name as the position he is to hold. His duties consist of safeguarding the Preceptor, spearheading mass assaults, and hunting down Warlords. The Iakugo is the Preceptor's shadow, his guardian and his executioner. With an oath of silence and a mask of Jaghatai Khan welded onto his face, the Iakugo is seldom seen or heard as he lurks in the shadows but is never too far to intervene any attempts on the Preceptor. * Vicars - Vicars of the Chapter are the amalgamation of an Apothecary and a Chaplain of the Codex Astartes. Healers of both mind and body, the Vicars are held in high regard and are often the ones with a security detail accompanying them with the exception of the Chapter Master. Due to the combination of two roles, the Reclusium and the Apothecarion are also merged into the 'Farshan', a Laeda-Krovian word that roughly translates to 'House of Healing' in Low Gothic. There is also a larger than normal amount of Vicars, when compared to a Codex-Compliant Chapter's amount of Apothecaries or Chaplains, to compensate for the combination of two roles. * Oathtaker - The Oathtaker is the combination of a Reclusiarch and a Head Apothecary. Those who are given this position are responsible for inducting Neophytes into the Chapter, overseeing ascensions of Captains and Chapter Masters, and ensuring that the Chapter's relics are cared for. Oathtakers are also the ones who keep the Chapter's dark secrets under wraps. Only the high echelons of the Chapter know of the secrets that an Oathtaker guards. One such secret is the location of the Chapter's gene-seed repositories. Line Ranks * Gefreiter - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Tactical Marine. They are the only ones beside the Stalkers and the Harbingers who have access to the few heavy weapons that the Chapter keeps in their armory. Heavy Bolters with a drum magazine and Rocket Launchers are the support weapons of choice by Gefreiter Squads as their combat doctrine requires them to be mobile even with the presence of heavier equipment. * Dragoon - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of an Assault Marine. * Hussar - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Space Marine Biker. The backbone of every Chapter hailing from the lineage of Jaghatai Khan, the Hussars are the main component of a Lightning Wraiths Pillar of Wisdom. Interestingly, Lightning Wraith Hussars are trained in the handling of the Chapter's various aircraft along with the Dragoons. * Jäger - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Scout. * Kapitulant - The Lightning Wraith's equivalent of a Sergeant. Specialist Formations * Stalkers - '''Stalkers are a covert infiltration team of Astartes specializing in sabotage and decapitation strikes against the enemy while deep behind enemy lines. Stalkers typically consist of particularly gifted scouts that have finally earned their Black Carapace. This means that each member is a fully-fledged and armoured Battle-Brother. Armed with Stalker Bolters along with one support weapon and enough explosives to level 5 hab-blocks, their purpose is to cause as much havoc at the heart of the enemy. They are the precursors of an assault and if they were to fail, they are heavily armed enough to act as diversions as the assault takes place. The integration of Vanguard Primaris Marines to the Chapter meant that there would be more of these covert specialists within the Chapter. * '''Dark Prophets - Dark Prophets are squads of disgraced Astartes who have shamed the Chapter through their pride or lack of self-control. Like the Sagyar Mazan of their forefathers, these warriors are put under a death oath and would spearhead any engagement or act as the rearguard in order to restore their honor. Their insignia would be blotted out, indicating that their actions have made them unworthy of wearing the mark of a Lightning Wraith. Squads would be led by Veterans hand-picked by either the Preceptor or the Oathtaker and each Veteran would be given permission to execute any Dark Prophet who is beyond redemption. * Harbingers - Harbingers are marines who are tasked to render the very ground they stand on inhospitable and impossible to use. Harbingers are treated with a kind of sympathy within the chapter as they are given the difficult job of transforming Imperial ground into a wasteland to deny any enemy resources. Despite the similarities to the Destroyers of the past, Harbingers are different because they were not warriors with no qualms with rendering worlds unsuitable for life. Rather, the roles are given to those who have bleeding hearts as they understand the severity of their tasks and would take great care to ensure that there will not be a second occurrence at the same location. Furthermore, Harbingers would have an iron mask fashioned in the likeness of their faces prior to the assignment so that when they perish in battle, they will be buried with dignity as their heavily deteriorating face will be hidden beneath their former glory. Order of Battle The Lightning Wraiths' Chapter composition is quite similar to that of the White Scars, with a heavy emphasis in Bike Squads and Land Speeders. However, due to the lack of armoured vehicles and Devastator Squads, the Chapter has a large focus on aerial superiority as their large airforce is their solution for the decrease in firepower. The Chapter also has some Terminator suits in their armories, but they are only used for investigating Space Hulks as the dangers are too great for regular power armour. The Lightning Wraiths' Companies are called Pillars of Wisdom as tribute for the 9 Virtues that the 9 Loyal Kings upheld during the Morozhkan Uprising. Each of the Companies represent a Virtue, and it is seen through the composition of troops in its ranks. True to the Legacy of the Khan, it is difficult to keep any Lightning Wraiths companies perfectly organized. Each squad is autonomous, yet obedient to high command. Headquarters Companies Combat Doctrine The Lightning Wraiths prefer to either deal with their enemies in one fell swoop as fast as possible or to whittle them down with hit-and-run tactics accompanied with sabotage. As such, they do not have any Devastator Squads or armoured land vehicles in their arsenal. The heavy equipment would not only struggle to keep up with the insane speeds that the Lightning Wraiths conduct their attacks, but would also slow down the speed of an assault. To compensate for this loss of firepower, the Lightning Wraiths have an extensive and large air force at their disposal. Their ships contain enough Stormhawk Interceptors, Stormravens, Storm Eagles, Thunderhawks and Land Speeders to transport the entire Chapter en masse to a planet's surface. Aerial Superiority is a crucial component of any Lightning Wraith strategy because without their air force, they do not have enough firepower to deal with opponents that are too numerous or too sturdy. Furthermore, they have two scout companies so that the acquisition of intelligence regarding the enemy's forces will be easier and so that more sabotage ops can be executed. The higher number of scouts is necessary as there are times that the enemy has total aerial superiority and an infiltration operation is a fulcrum in which the tide of a battle will turn to the Lightning Wraith's favour. Stalkers are an integral part of the Scout Companies and of the Chapter as a whole. It is because decapitation strikes are favoured by the Lightning Wraiths as battles fought through attrition are seen as too costly by the Chapter. Night Operations are also favoured as their mutations provide them with advantages from a tactical and a psychological standpoint. If an enemy's defenses are too strong for a Lightning Wraith assault, they either cut off the enemy's resources and wait for them to destroy themselves from within or attack from the underground with the usage of a Hades Breaching Drill which are piloted by Chapter Serfs. However, when the Lightning Wraiths are forced to be on the defensive, their tactics change. If an objective has to be held, the Lightning Wraiths would construct expansive underground tunnel networks around the mission area. A total far cry from their usual tactics, but a viable strategy that was perfected through combat simulations held underneath the tunnels of the mountains of Morozhko. These tunnels are heavily guarded, filled with traps, and designed to confuse those who dare to use them. Above ground, fortifications are also connected to the tunnels, which is a great boon to those who aid the Lightning Wraiths with the defense as they are able to move from one place to another in comparative safety. Granted, they would need a Lightning Wraith alongside them to act as a guide. Chapter Beliefs Among Teachers and Students One belief of the chapter is that their purpose is to teach and be taught. This is most noticeable in the position of Iakugo. Every Iakugo is both teacher and student as the martial skill required to wield the twinblade relic weapon is only known to the previous Iakugo and the serfs that he taught. The serfs under his tutelage are almost always aspirants that are gifted in combat, but were unable to receive the geneseed due to genetic mismatches. When a new Iakugo is inducted, it is the duty of these serfs, whom are known as the Bladekeepers, to teach the Astartes. If the Astartes refuses to be taught by the Bladekeepers, he fails the first test of his induction. It was said that humility and patience are paramount virtues of the first Iakugo, as he was the one who began this tradition. Failure of his tests of induction would result in the Preceptor inducting the Iakugo aspirant to the Dark Prophets for his sins of pride. Due to this belief of the importance of knowledge, every Lightning Wraith is an accomplished scholar. This is a great boon when the Chapter's forces are required to attack or defend a planet. Prior to any deployment, the Chapter scours Imperial records regarding the planet in question for any information that would be of use to them. Particularly in history as the exploits and failures of those who fought on the planet contain valuable lessons regarding warfare. This knowledge aids the scouts in their reconnaissance and gives the warriors an impression of who they would be fighting and how they would be neutralized in the quickest and most efficient way possible. Purity of Flesh The Lightning Wraiths despise bionics and the thought of voluntarily replacing body parts with augmentics is anathema to them. It is their belief that when a warrior's limb is severed or an organ is destroyed, a part of the warrior's soul is lost. To replace a severed limb or an organ is to desecrate what remains of the warrior's soul. Only through a proper death will a warrior's soul be truly whole and at peace. Bionic limbs, eyes, and organs are only accepted out of pure necessity in order to serve the Imperium. Dreadnoughts are considered an insult to the warrior who is interred into one as the fallen must be rewarded with eternal peace once they have paid their tithes to the Imperium with their own lives. If a Space Marine of great skill or experience has suffered wounds that would render them unfit for combat for the rest of their lives, they are given the option of either the Emperor's Peace or to be the mentors of future generations of Astartes. Those who choose to become mentors are the ones who collect aspirants from the Morozhko natives or of other planets during a campaign and would be the ones who forge them into space marines. Protecters of the Next Generation The The Lightning Wraiths care little for mortal men and women, seeing as they are all small pieces in the enormous Imperial machine. They will acknowledge those who have garnered their interest, either through feats of courage or of guile. However, they are surprisingly very protective of children. Time with Morozhkan natives had instilled a form of paternal code within the Lightning Wraiths' ethos. They go to great lengths to save children from any threat that looms over a world. Gene-Seed As successors of the White Scars, the gene-seed of the Lightning Wraiths was initially found to be stable and free of aberrations. However, a century after the gene-seed was implanted into the first Lightning Wraith Neophyte, mutations began to surface. The first mutation that was spotted is currently known as the "Bloody Roots". It is when the arteries of a marine become highly visible. A dissection of a fallen battle-brother by Chapter Vicars found that the arteries have expanded and the blood traveling from the heart contained abnormally high hemoglobin levels, even for Astartes. Further investigation by Vicars revealed that this mutation is a boost of sorts to an evolutionary trait from the inhabitants of Morozhko. The mortals of the world are accustomed to traversing the abundant mountain peaks without any specialized equipment, thus their blood has higher hemoglobin levels than an average human. The second mutation appeared after 150 years since the implantation of gene-seed upon the first Generation of Lightning Wraiths. It is when a Battle-Brother's pupil and irises become milky white. Commonly known as the "Wraith's Sight", those who have been stricken by this mutation gain increased sensitivity to bright light. The afflicted also gain a form of heat vision when total darkness, where the temperature of objects can be estimated based on how brightly they glow through the eyes of those with the Wraith's Sight. Precursors to this mutation are uncontrollable tears of blood leaking from a marine's tear ducts. The cause of these mutations is currently unknown. There are speculations that the genetic material of Morozhkan natives negatively react to that of the White Scars' genome. This theory is currently the most viable explanation for these defects because when the Founding members of the Chapter had their gene-seed implanted into Neophytes, the mutations also surfaced onto these marines despite the Founders being perfectly free of mutation. Primarch's Curse: Savagery Within The genetic curse of Jaghatai's legacy is also felt by the Lightning Wraiths. A savage mindset that is contained through the constant vigilance of both the marine and the members of the Farshan. The curse is necessary as it gives the Lightning Wraiths strength at times where others would have faltered. Those who cannot restrain themselves or drag themselves out of this cloud of wrath and death are interred into the Dark Prophets, specialist squads with death oaths cast upon each member for shaming the chapter through their lack of discipline. The curse usually manifests itself in two stages, but the introduction of the Morozhkan genome has resulted in an unforeseen third stage: *'Level 1 (A Moment Unrestrained)' - The Battle-Brother's discipline begins to slip and falter, allowing brief moments of untamed ferocity to emerge in the heat of battle. Often, the Battle-Brother will not even know that he is succumbing to this savagery, and it requires the presence of his Brothers to warn him of his failure. *'Level 2 (Suppressed Rage)' - Within the darkest reaches of the Battle-Brother's mind lurks the shadow of his rage and fury, seeking any opportunity to emerge, and causing the Battle-Brother to become belligerent and quick to anger. *'Level 3 (Wrath of Khan)' - The Battle-Brother's rage and fury becomes too great to contain and his mind becomes clouded with thoughts on how to unleash it. When given an opportunity, he recklessly throws himself onto the enemy with complete disregard for orders and discipline. If he is unchecked for a prolonged period of time, he will begin to lash out at both friend and foe. Notable Members Chapter Fleet *Woe of the Forgotten (Battle-Barge) - This ancient ship has been in the possession of the Lightning Wraiths since its inception and was among the gifts that Chaigut Khan's successor had given Khugal prior to his departure. Over the years, it has been modified to suit the Chapter's combat doctrine, namely larger hangar bays so that more of the Chapter's airforce can be stored within the massive vessel and the speed modifications that are common among the ships belonging to Jaghatai Khan's sons. Chapter Relics Many of the Chapter's Relics were items looted from the Space Hulk "Silent Blade" during the War of Nivera. Those who know of these relics' source outside of the Lightning Wraiths condemned the Chapter for either desecrating the dead with their looting or hoarding and tinkering archeotech. *''The Crown of the Old Kings'' - A relic dating to the Chapter's founding, the Crown of the Old Kings is a Mark IV helmet with a wrought-iron crown welded onto it. It has been said that the iron crown was made from the remains of the crowns belonging 9 kings who swore their fealty to the chapter during the colonization of its homeworld. These 9 kings were the only ones who accepted the Imperial Truth with open arms and were the ones who stood alongside their new masters while the world fell to a mass rebellion against the 'demons from the stars'. *''Desolation of Khan'' - When a planet's infestation of xenos or heresy has become too deep or too numerous, the Lightning Wraiths are forced to take extraordinary measures to preserve the safety of the Jatonis Sector. One such measure is to unleash an arsenal of weaponry that was considered so vile in the Great Crusades that those who used it had their honor tarnished forever. The Desolation of Khan is not one relic, but rather a set of five. More specifically, a set of Five Rad-Cannons and Jump Packs that belonged to a Legion Destroyer Squad. To unleash the Desolation of Khan is a last resort for the Chapter and only if Exterminatus is impossible to achieve. Veterans who volunteered to wield the deadly weapons would be dropped into a battle zone with auxiliary support. From the moment their boots touched the ground to their extraction or death, they would cleanse the land with radiation to deny the enemy any resource. *''Iakugo'' - A Morozhkan word meaning 'bewildering force', it is the weapon wielded by the Chapter Champion who would renounce their old name and replace it with the weapon's in order to become one with the relic as tradition demands it. The weapon is actually two Chogorian Warglaives with their handles cut short enough for a one-handed grip and pommels welded onto the bottoms that can interlock with each other. The relic twin-blade is a devastating weapon in the hands of the Iakugo as he becomes a whirlwind of ceramite and steel. *''Death Mask of the Khagan'' - This ancient artefact consists of a relic Mark IV helmet that incorporates an incredibly lifelike mask said have been modelled upon the features of the Khagan himself, created after his mysterious disappearance towards the end of the first century of M31, whilst in pursuit of a Drukari Archon into an Aeldari warp gate. Upon the Lightning Wraiths' inception, it was gifted to Khugol Khan, the first Preceptor of the Lightning Wraiths. This profound gift was graciously accepted by The Preceptor, and worn by him for centuries until he fell in battle. This archaic relic was created by the White Scars' finest artificers, it was forged from auramite, a mysterious material of unknown provenance but extraordinary resilience used to construct the customised battle-plate of the Adeptus Custodes, the bodyguard of the Emperor of Mankind. How this unique crafting material was obtained by the White Scars is unknown. After its construction it was layered in jet-black lacquer, making it's surface highly reflective. The mask radiates the Khagan's ferocity and anger at those who betrayed their oaths to the Emperor, emitting an aura of malice and barely restrained savagery that enemies find unnerving and often paralysed with fear, often breaking and fleeing from its hollow, vehement stare. Currently worn by the Iakugo - the Lightning Wraiths' Chapter Champion - the visage of the Death Mask of the Khagan seems to almost become invested with the ghostly life of the Warhawk's spirit. When its wearer emits a battle cry, the powerful vox emitters built into the helm does so also, often causing the morale of the foe to falter in face of the savage spirit of The Khagan made manifest. This ancient helm contains the pinnacle of augury sensors and prophesier readouts and in battle. It also has the unique ability to shroud it's wearer in a flickering halo of darkness that distorts their outline and confounds even the most sophisticated enemy sensors. When combined with the formidable martial talents of the Iakugo, the wearer seemingly becomes an avatar of The Khagan - a whirling dervish of death and destruction - cutting down his foes with savage glee. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours A battle brother hailing from the Lightning Wraiths is clad in dark bone-white armour with blood-red pauldron trims and a black backpack. Their right arm is painted in pure white from pauldron to finger in homage to their gene-sire. Veterans of the First Company are set apart from their battle-brothers through a pitch-black helm and a black, tattered, hooded robe. Companies are designated with red vein-like lines that are painted onto various body parts. Battle Company markings are painted on sections of the upper body; either on the arms, the cuirass, or the head. Each of the two reserve companies has their markings painted on one leg, from femur to ankle. As they are successors of the White Scars, they have adopted Squad Specialty and Squad Number markings. The Squad Number is marked on the left poleyn with White Scars symbology and the squad specialty markings are from that of the White Scars Legion. The two Scout Companies do not have the honor of donning the Chapter badge as it represents the freedom the members of the company will have before they are thrust into a lifetime of servitude as a part of the Chapter's Reserve and Battle Companies. Those who wish to remain in the scout companies even after the implementation of the Black Carapace are given a pitch-black service stud above the right brow. The lack of Chapter Badge on a scout's armour is also because scouts are encouraged to paint their entire armour in camouflage patterns. To distinguish between scout companies, white lines are painted on one side of the face or helmet. Chapter Badge The chapter's insignia is that of a five-pronged crown made of black iron over a field of bone-white. It is in the image of the Crown of the Old Kings, the Chapter's oldest and most revered relic. Scout Companies do not have the badge displayed on their armor as it believed that as hunters, they belong to nobody but themselves. Furthermore, because scouts are encouraged to wear camouflage and tasked with infiltration ops, the lack of a chapter badge would stir confusion and paranoia amongst the enemy as they wouldn't know which chapter would be attacking. Dark Prophets also do not have the badge on their armour, but for an entirely different reason. These marines have shamed their chapter, and as such, do not have the honor of calling themselves as Lightning Wraiths. Besides an honorable death, it is only through great deeds of courage and selflessness does a Dark Prophet regain the right to call himself a Lightning Wraith. Allies White Scars The Lightning Wraiths are fanatically loyal to their forefathers, to the point that they would send some of their best aspirants every 140 years to the White Scars as tribute. Enemies Alpha Legion The Alpha Legion is has garnered a form of spiteful respect from the Lightning Wraiths as they have been able to foresee many of the Chapter's tactics whenever the two come into contact with each other. Notable Quotes By the Lightning Wraiths About the Lightning Wraiths: Feel free to add your own Gallery Lightning Wraiths_Iakugo Champion.png|LIghtning Wraiths Iakugo (Chapter Champion) with his twin-blade warglaive locked in its singular configuration. Note: This wearer has the honour of wearing the Death Mask of the Khagan. Category:Space Marines Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:White Scars Successors Category:23rd Founding Category:Imperium